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[Progress] #AndyTalks

Andy Black

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Andy Black

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There are speech to text softwares out there like speechnotes and dragon by nuance
Thanks @ApparentHorizon

This is really going to help!!



EDIT: I don't have time to research this so have asked someone who offered VA services to do the research. It's a test of them too.



EDIT2: Thanks to @Thiago Machado for watching one of the recent videos on YouTube, and then pointing me towards this fella:




EDIT3: The video above works a treat when you talk into the microphone, but not when you're playing back an audio or video. To do that I've followed the instructions in this article: https://mp3totext.wordpress.com

Now the problem is that the Google Docs transcriber times out after a while. It would be nice to leave it to run for an hour and come back to see a wall of text to edit.
 
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Andy Black

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[UPDATE]

Still not sorted that transcription thing out. I'm focused on client work rather than videos at the moment.

However, I'm still trying to keep doing a video a day, no matter how short.



Here's the last week's worth of little videos. I've dropped them in here for a few reasons:
  1. You might enjoy them.
  2. You might learn from them.
  3. To show what I mean by "Keep Going".





 
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Andy Black

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Andy Black

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[UPDATE]

Noooo... Pamela not recording Skype calls anymore.

I did a really good 25 minute call with someone that would have been perfect for the forum... but it was lost to the ether.

Now, where the bleeding heck are my firewall settings? (Will have to speak to my techies tomorrow.)

upload_2016-10-4_23-33-38.png
 
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Andy Black

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Vlog 2016-10-05 - The extra twist

I had a lunchtime meeting with a guy who was a client over 3 years ago. He's still struggling to get the same project off the ground. I came up with a different twist to it that we're going to try.

I've dropped the video and transcription HERE.
 
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Andy Black

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Interesting feedback from @Akakoc for the above video:

Though the full stops can get a bit nauseating. :sour:


I PM'd to find out if it was full stops in the video or the transcription that were a bit nauseating, and Akakoc said the video.

I've been using Snapchat to create the videos because it's fun, easy, and also forces me to have full stops and not keep rambling on.

Akakoc's feedback to that was:

It's not rambling if it's from someone knowledgeable.

Just from my experience with videos and YouTubers, the stopping can get pretty distracting. If you let it flow you can keep it organic and have your audience more easily tune in to your message.




Great feedback @Akakoc. I'll have to have a think about this. I was trying to keep the videos short and to the point, but don't want people getting ill. Haha.

Maybe I should just talk to my phone, or use Periscope or some similar platform.
 

Andy Black

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Vlog 2016-10-06 - Snapchat & what else?

I had a chat with @RyanK OnMyWay last night. I mention that in today's video. (Ryan created a thread straight after HERE.)

I also mention @Akakoc's feedback from yesterday, wondering what to do about it - if anything!

I really like Snapchat the app for creating quick videos off the cuff. It's fun, easy, and lends itself to unscripted and impromptu (@Jon L).

Maybe Facebook Live, Periscope, or YouTube Live for longer videos? Or maybe just straight to my camera-roll?

 
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Andy Black

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Vlog 2016-10-11 - Tips when your back's against the wall

PM'd a business owner who was struggling to make ends meet. I've been there before, and here's the advice I gave to him.

 
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Vlog 2016-10-12 - New client & wrestling with mics

Talk about being beset by "stepping stones".

The continuing saga of trying to record good quality audio Skype calls / Screencasts.

Pamela.biz stopped working when Skype upgraded. I got a refund and have now bought www.evaer.com. I've yet to use that.

I gave up trying to attach my mic to the wrong shock mount I bought earlier this year... and bought the proper one. (Sunk cost fallacy?)

The new shock-mount arrived today and I've setup the mic (see below).

Now I discover I can't get any sound recorded from it. Was it when Windows automatically upgraded to Windows 10? Cue wasting two hours Googling for solutions and trying numerous things.

Losing the will to live.


Is the audio quality from my wireless headphones that poor?


Hmmm... I wonder if I can use one of my TWO lapel mics to record audio.

Round two... Ding! Ding!





Anyway... I signed up a new client today too.

 
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Vlog 2016-10-13 - Don't worry about selling your skill or time

This one's under 3 minutes. Hopefully they're getting snappier and adding more value.

Still not sure whether to drop "nugget" style videos into separate threads and link to them from this progress thread, or just drop them in here. This thread is more a progress thread of how I'm trying to add value via video, so for the minute it makes sense to do what I'm doing. Don't want to spam the forum though. Haha.

Video and transcription dropped HERE.

I'm going to drop it on Twitter and my Facebook page now.
 

Andy Black

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AndyTalks to SinisterLex about Selling & Scaling

Had a chat with @SinisterLex on Sunday. I knew my mic wasn't perfect, but didn't let mic issues prevent us having a chat. It's the mic I use when chatting to everyone so it's "good enough". Saying that, I'll get round to resolving it in due course.

The interesting part I'm trying is to ask for people to post their takeaways and things they will do differently. This will allow me/us to create a "teaser" or show notes in the first post to convince people to listen in the first place.

We've had some good feedback, including people liking the conversational format. So instead of "learning how to do podcast interviews" we just jumped on a call and it worked out better? Who'd have thought we didn't need to learn any more to add value?

Call dropped in this thread HERE.
 

Andy Black

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AndyTalks to Nico about Graphic Design & Selling Services

Did another recorded Skype call, this time with @Nicoknowsbest. It maybe started a little less "chatty" than previous calls due to me wanting to get the context first, but then we (I?) did stay true to form and end up rambling a bit in the second half of the call.

I uploaded it to Soundcloud last night and it was still "processing" this morning. A quick Google later and I find out the solution is to delete that upload and redo it. Duh... I should have thought of that! :)


I've realised I can name them differently in Soundcloud than I name them in the forum (I don't know why I thought they should be the same).

So in the forum the thread is titled:
"AndyTalks to Nico about Graphic Design & Selling Services"​

while in Soundcloud it's titled differently.

upload_2016-10-21_10-39-15.png

So far I've got 7 tracks on Soundcloud. Here's the (current) titles and number of plays:
upload_2016-10-21_10-40-31.png




Audio dropped in this thread HERE.

EDIT: Transcription added here (it won't fit into a post).

There's 12,274 words in that transcription!
 
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Andy Black

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AndyTalks to Random_0 about Growing a Local Lead GenBusiness

Great call with a plumber who's going places HERE.


(I've quite a few wee Snapchat videos to load up, but I'm getting behind on them due to them not being top priority at the moment.)
 

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this topic is very impressive. i don't know where to begin to listen and read things all at the same time. unbelievable
 

Andy Black

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this topic is very impressive. i don't know where to begin to listen and read things all at the same time. unbelievable
Don't get overwhelmed.

You're goal is to become a producer, not a consumer.

If the very first video is enough to get you going, then that's good enough.

I'm an ordinary guy. I just give myself permission to suck, and I don't wait for permission from anyone else.



The main purpose of this thread was to *show* what it means to get out of your own way, to get started, and to keep going.

"Show, don't tell."
 
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Don't get overwhelmed.

You're goal is to become a producer, not a consumer.

If the very first video is enough to get you going, then that's good enough.

I'm an ordinary guy. I just give myself permission to suck, and I don't wait for permission from anyone else.


yes maybe i am too perfectionnist and you are on the right path of doing things instead of waiting

this reminds me of this well known video :

 

Andy Black

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Interesting thread created by @jpanarra HERE.


In it I post this:

I like the tropicalmba.com podcasts. I listen to them on longish drives, or ironing the school uniforms. In those circumstances, audio is perfect.

One of their podcasts talks about how they get a "production transcript" created from their chat with a guest. They then skim through this and highlight the sections to remove so that the audio is nice and tight. A sound engineer can then use this highlighted production transcript to edit the audio.

They use rev.com for the transcription which costs them $1/min.

They mention in the episode I listened to that it costs them $50k/year to run their podcast (including man-hours spent).

That's a decent chunk of change.



I've played with some of the auto-transcription software. What a PITA. The software doesn't know where to put a full stop and you just end up with one long sentence. From my evening pulling my hair out and losing the will to live it really looks like it needs the human touch to create a readable version.

So rev.com it is for me. $1/min suddenly looked tremendous value.



I've dropped quite a few videos with transcriptions here into the forum as I play around with this.

I've definitely noticed more people engaging when there is a transcription - because I've been paying attention to that. ;)



I've not done the closed captions into the YouTube videos yet.

Rev.com is supposed to be able to do that too, but the link where I can pay is broken and I've not found a suitable alternative yet (and I'm fecked if I'm going to do it myself). A missed take-my-money-already moment if ever I saw one...


So a three minute video costs me $3 to get transcribed. Less than a cup of coffee. I can do one of those a day without worrying about getting a return on them.



I've done longer chats and I'd really like to get them edited down, and pull out sections that can stand-alone on their own.

I had the call with @Nicoknowsbest transcribed and that cost me $75.

Nico will do some editing and drop sections into that particular thread.

Thankfully he'll do that for free while we learn this process, but imagine if I had to pay him?

How much is that call going to cost me to get transcribed and edited, never mind published and promoted (because, again, I'm fecked if I'm doing that)?

I'm not doing those calls to make money.

Someone thought I was building a personal brand and promoting myself. Errr, no. That's not my business model thanks. I want to build a business that *doesn't* rely on me, rather than one that's built around brand Andy Black.

I digress but you see my point.

I'd like to help you guys by recording calls I have with people and making them accessible to you.

I don't intend "monetising" them, so I'm not able or willing to fork out $60-120+ to transcribe then edit down a one hour chat.

In my mind, if you're interested, then you'll have to meet me halfway and either listen to them in their entirety, or pay to have them produced so they're more easily consumable for you.

Just a bit of perspective from a podcast consumer who's also producing video and audio (albeit making it up as I go along).



EXAMPLES

A short video with a transcription:​


The call with @Nicoknowsbest that I spent $75 to get transcribed:​
 

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Some food for thought:

Andy, for which video you would buy not just transcription services, but also:
- Article creation.
- Presentation design.
- Search engine optimization.

What kind of conversation do you really need?

What would become your asset to help you close prospects and attract audience?

What would add zero to your profits?
 
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Andy Black

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Some food for thought:

Andy, for which video you would buy not just transcription services, but also:
- Article creation.
- Presentation design.
- Search engine optimization.

What kind of conversation do you really need?

What would become your asset to help you close prospects and attract audience?

What would add zero to your profits?

Thanks for asking.

I'm creating these videos and audios for a few reasons:


1) Show don't tell

To show people what happens when you give yourself permission to suck, get started, and keep going. I've no idea where it will end up, but it's been an interesting journey already. Some people like the YouTube videos just to see behind the scenes so to speak. Some people like the little messages in some of the videos.

Some people get something from the recorded chats

You also mentioned this in a different thread and I thank you for it:
I would upload all skype talks to youtube into private playlist for TFLF.
x2 speed playback would be good, because they are lenghty and a lot of not so necessary details there, but they are good. These recordings have some special touch to them and simply give personal insights to me personally.


2) To get better

This is me cutting my teeth at speaking and being in front of the camera. I think it's fun, and I'd like more people to get access to some of the conversations I have with business owners over a coffee. I have this vision that I'll be able to "can" them someday and put them online so less people make the mistakes I see all the time.


But I don't want clients. My end goal is not to build an agency - an agency is just a stepping stone.

I take on clients as a screening process. I consider the first purchase as a test... of whether we can work together longer term, and maybe partner up somehow.

I'm focused on what I did in this call HERE, where I'm helping someone to build a lead gen business. He's a client of my agency at the moment, but maybe the project will go so well we'll join forces and take over the whole of the UK?

The videos and audios are a labour of love. They're not a lead gen play for me. If I get a few clients out of it, then great. If not, I'm doing it anyway, because...


3) Legacy

These are intended for my kids to see or listen to when they get old enough to understand.

My parents already love the few they've seen or listened to.

I didn't realise legacy was going to be such a big deal to me till I was a few months in doing daily videos. Until after I'd caught a solitary video of me and my brother, the last time I saw him before he passed away suddenly. I wouldn't have that video if I hadn't been doing Snapchat vlogs, and I'm forever grateful I was.




I get it. A lot of you guys are probably wondering what my lead gen play is with these videos. What's my angle? How will I make money from it?

I hope this doesn't sound harsh, but honestly, I don't GAF about the money. I'm doing it anyway, and I just happen to be logging that journey in the forum.
 

Andy Black

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getting a return in investment on your transcriptions.
Now that I know there's people out there who might want to access the content, but can't because of accessibility rather than laziness, then I'll certainly think about how to fund the transcription process.

Thanks for bringing a new problem for me to solve.

(Notice my "hack" for getting things done? Help someone.)
 

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Thanks for the shout out to my thread! Happy to initiate a healthy discussion on here about an interesting topic!



All awesome questions, but here's the thing I'm thinking. If you have a number of transcriptions accumulating you can nitpick critical discussions and eventually make them into a e-book and sell them hence getting a return in investment on your transcriptions.
When your book has enough value to be selling well enough for it to be considered worth the time spent on its production and marketing, most likely you already make enough money to to consider profits from book not any significant.

Book is essentially just a tripwire. The point of creating and marketing a book is to get a return on bigger things you offer. Book on point can pre-close 6-figure deals for you, can attract audience to your projects, establish major following and etc.
But if you don't have a bigger offer, writing a book to make money solely on its sales is a road to a nowhere land.
 
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Andy Black

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Book is essentially just a tripwire. The point of creating and marketing a book is to get a return on bigger things you offer.
I'd write a book, so I could help more people, not so I could sell my services to more people.

It would need to make money to cover the cost of getting it created, and out there (and the cost of me taking time off from my business to do it). Except I have to put on my own oxygen mask first - which means building my own business first.


What I'm trying to say is that not everything is about making money.
 

Andy Black

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AndyTalks to Random_0 about Growing a Local Lead GenBusiness

Great call with a plumber who's going places HERE.


(I've quite a few wee Snapchat videos to load up, but I'm getting behind on them due to them not being top priority at the moment.)



Some feedback on the call above that's probably applicable to all the calls so far:

I think it was an interesting conversation, though very long and at times distracting.
A good bit of editing would shorten it and make it more on point.

It's just that neither of us are going to do it since we're busy building our businesses. And we're not going to pay someone else to do it either since neither of us have any intention of monetising the call in any way.

Maybe I'll edit and transcribe it later if I can come up with a way for getting that paid for.

This has come up a few times now. My detailed thinking is described here.
 

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A good bit of editing would shorten it and make it more on point.
I like the format as it is. Yes, you have to listen to extract the nuggets, but then that makes you concentrate more on the conversation and you may pick up things that you'd otherwise miss.
 
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Andy Black

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I like the format as it is. Yes, you have to listen to extract the nuggets, but then that makes you concentrate more on the conversation and you may pick up things that you'd otherwise miss.
Yes, I've had that feedback a lot too.

I'll continue as is, because here's my thinking:

if you're interested, then you'll have to meet me halfway and either listen to them in their entirety or pay to have them produced so they're more easily consumable by you.
 

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I like the format as it is. Yes, you have to listen to extract the nuggets, but then that makes you concentrate more on the conversation and you may pick up things that you'd otherwise miss.

Makes me tune out, don't have the time to focus 100% on it unfortunately. I wish I did, because i'm sure there are many nuggets that have been missed.

Andy, my suggestion might be to delegate it to an employee soon. The way you guys are going, you may very well need to start hiring. There are undoubtedly many roles that could have a part of their job description include this type of work. PA for example.

Also, you do not need to necessarily think of it as monetising the content directly, but rather turning the (good but raw) content into something more digestible. This then becomes a part of a growing body of content that can be used as marketing material, evidence, brand building, etc. Essentially a podcast.

Why not let it begin snowballing? It's a great way to help clients get to know you in a more personal way than most marketing material can achieve. Listening to what, in many ways, is a very personal call. This will help qualify the "right clients".
 

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